Welcome to Venture Capital Comedy

Welcome to Venture Capital Comedy! You may have taken classes at other improv theatres, but we do things differently here at V.C.C. Whereas other improv theatres get you to say “Yes, and,” our performers learn to say “Uh-huh, disrupt.”

Once you complete the class series and become an advanced improviser, you will receive “I.P.O.” (improv-performer opportunities). With I.P.O., you’re eligible to be headhunted to join an in-house team. (Note: We do not condone unionization efforts within in-house teams.) Now, let’s tell you a bit more about our method.

Key Principles You Will Learn

Getting a Suggestion

Traditional improv teams solicit suggestions from the audience. This is an untested, non-standardized methodology that generates inconsistent results. At V.C.C., we determine optimal suggestions on the basis of various data sources processed through proprietary machine-learning algorithms. We then give the top three suggestions to the performers ahead of time so that they can prepare their improv. Preparation is key! (Note: at V.C.C., we guarantee a fifty-five-per-cent laugh-to-silence ratio. We’ll happily refund any ticket if that ratio is somehow not matched.)

“Uh-Huh, Disrupt!”

Instead of progressing a scene through agreement, at V.C.C. we constantly seek opportunities to disrupt the scene. Example: some of your castmates are pretending to be in a canoe. Instead of letting them paddle on in that boring, old boat, step in and tell them that they’re now on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket and that one of the white, balding guys on your team (take your pick) is Jeff Bezos!

See how much better that is? Use disruption to take your comedy to the moon.

Industry/Innovation

“Industry” is how we talk about the reality of a scene, before any “innovations” have been introduced by the improvisers. All industries begin in 1976, in a garage in Los Altos, California. While your scene does not need to take place there, that moment in time will affect every improv scene, as it does our lives.

“Innovation” is the funny part. It’s funny!

And how do our students learn these principles? Here’s a little bit about how we work. (Not WeWork—don’t worry. See? Funny!)

Our Classes

Improv Series A

In these classes, taught by the former chief risk officer of Uber, you’ll learn to throw caution to the wind and think on your feet regardless of any previously ingrained guidelines or rules. Rules are for sheeple! Once you finish Series A, you may add V.C.C. certification to your LinkedIn profile. We’ll even endorse you.

Improv Series B

This series gets a lot more technical. This is not just about the chuckles; it’s about the organizational structure of laughter. Familiar with the Harold improv-show structure? Now you can learn three new comedic frameworks: the Musk, BEZITO, and MetaVerse.

The Musk: This structure begins with a single scene. In that scene, each student performs one action that leads to securities fraud (examples: misleading statements, gratuitous publicity, smoking weed on a podcast, etc.). Once someone has been escorted offstage by law enforcement, the show is over.

BEZITO: A series of extremely likable, underdog-type characters established in the first scene must be systematically replaced by robots. The last remaining human character must renounce their personhood and basic human rights to end the show.

MetaVerse: Two scenes establish the “industry.” The following two scenes utterly destroy it, and everyone loses money (including the audience).

Improv Series C

Our final and most rigorous course. This curriculum is still in development and is halfway toward its crowdfunding goal on Kickstarter. Please note: those who donate at the highest-tier level will be made “Angel Improvisers” and automatically receive I.P.O. No training required!

Time to I.P.O. & LOL! ♦